The Most Convenient Definitions
by vinkunwildflowerqueen
Summary: "You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us as a nerd, and a playboy and an outcast, a princess and a delinquent. Correct?" Elphaba, Fiyero, Galinda, Boq and Avaric find themselves in detention. Inspired by "The Breakfast Club". AU. Shiz-era Post Lion Cub. Musicalverse. Hint of Fiyeraba- may have to squint a little.
1. Chapter 1: 7 00 am

**The Most Convenient Definitions**

**By Vinkunwildflowerqueen**

**DISCLAIMER: I am no Stephen Schwartz or Winnie Holzman; and as now established through this story, I am sadly no John Hughes. So clearly I own nothing of either ****_Wicked _****nor ****_The Breakfast Club_****. **

**AN. ****_Wicked _****inspired ****_The Breakfast Club. _****Or, as I've been calling it, ****_Breakfast Club- _****lite. Very very very lite. This was surprisingly hard to adapt. Hence, my sad realisation I am no John Hughes, and I don't know why I thought I could adapt TBC for ****_Wicked. _****But it's done now. **

**Chapter One: 7.00 am, Saturday 21****st**** March, 1936**

"_Dear Madame Morrible, _

_We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. _

_You see us as you want to see us ... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us as a__ nerd__,__ and__a playboy __and__an outcast__, __a princess__and__a delinquent.__Correct?_

_That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed."_

"It's so _absurd_ I have to be here on a _Saturday_."

Elphaba said nothing as they crossed the courtyard towards the library, their breath rising before them in the chilly March air.

Everything was absurd according to Galinda that morning, and Elphaba had been hearing about it since she had woken her roommate up at six o'clock that morning.

It was absurd that they had detention on a Saturday, that Galinda had gotten detention at all, and it was _completely_ absurd that they were expected to meet Madame Morrible in the library at seven o'clock on a Saturday morning. It was a place Galinda tried to avoid even on weekdays.

But no matter if Elphaba may have agreed with her friend on some of those points, she had no patience for Galinda's melodrama that morning. She had her own concerns that trumped Galinda's deprivation of her beauty sleep.

"You're the one who skipped class to go shopping," Elphaba finally answered, when it became clear that Galinda wasn't going to let up any time soon.

"_There was a sale,"_ Galinda retorted, as though that justified everything. "_One _day only, Elphie. Seventy per cent off! You expect me to pass that up?!" she demanded.

Elphaba rolled her eyes irritably.

Galinda eventually picked up that her roommate was troubled.

"Are you really worried about your father?" she asked, her tone softening.

"Yes," Elphaba admitted.

She was entirely conscious that her enrolment on Shiz was dependant on her father's approval. And when Elphaba had told Nessarose where she'd be spending her Saturday, her sister had not been impressed. Nessa also hadn't hesitated to lecture Elphaba on the subject and then finished by saying she was "obligated" to tell their father.

Now Elphaba was trying not to panic that Frex might pull her out of Shiz.

"You should have just told Nessa you'd be hiding away to study all day," Galinda said. "She'd believe that, and then she wouldn't tell your father."

"Morrible's going to be writing to our parents anyway," Elphaba reminded her. "And I don't lie to Nessa."

"It's not a _lie. _It's just not telling her all the information. Like I did. Do you think I was going to tell the girls and Fiyero that I was going to be in _detention?"_

The blonde looked horrified at the mere thought.

"No, of course not! So, I told the girls I wasn't feeling well and I was going to have a quiet day resting so we can go to the OzDust tonight. And Fiyero already had plans for today, anyway. Although he wouldn't say what… he's been acting so _odd_ lately."

Elphaba ignored her last remark. "I would have thought you can tell _him_. I'm sure the scandalacious boy wonder would be impressed you got detention- even for something as lame as skipping class."

Galinda levelled her with a glare. "_Don't _call him that. And skipping class is not lame! Especially coming from the girl who won't even _tell_ me why she got detention."

Elphaba kept her mouth firmly shut and looked away. Galinda had been pushing Elphaba to find out why the green girl had detention for the past four days, but Elphaba flatly refused to say anything.

"Besides, I thought you and Fiyero were getting along better now?" Galinda asked.

Elphaba hesitated. "We are. I guess," she replied awkwardly.

It wasn't so much a matter of getting along, but it was so awkward between Elphaba and Fiyero these days- since the day Dr Dillamond had been fired.

It had been two weeks since then, and Elphaba never knew what to say to him when they found themselves in the same room. And as Fiyero had been dating Galinda for almost a month now, that was a lot. Much more frequent than Elphaba would prefer.

"You should come to the _OzDust_ with us tonight," Galinda said brightly to Elphaba as they climbed the library steps.

These invitations were becoming more frequent, and still took Elphaba a moment to realise it wasn't a joke. She and Galinda had only been friends for a month now, she was still trying to adjust to what that meant.

"I don't know…"

"Think about it," Galinda wheedled her. "I've got some new ideas I want to try out on your hair."

Elphaba stifled a groan as she opened the door. Galinda was taking her new "project" to make Elphaba "popular" seriously, and she wasn't going to "launch" (her word, not Elphaba's) the finished product until she was a hundred per cent sure. They'd been taking baby steps- introducing a different hairstyle, change in wardrobe and hair tossing lessons, but Galinda repeatedly assured Elphaba they had much more work to do.

Thankfully, their arrival in the library meant Elphaba was saved from answering. Galinda went quiet and tried to hide behind Elphaba until she could establish who else was in detention with them and whether she could be seen by them.

They made their way, as per instructions, to the study area on the first floor where there was several rows of desks. The room was so far empty, save for one person.

"Boq?" Elphaba asked, stopping dead in her tracks and narrowing her eyes at the Munchkin boy.

Boq cleared his throat awkwardly. "Hello."

Galinda peered around Elphaba's shoulder and brightened. "Hello, Bick!" she greeted him.

Boq flushed and immediately rose to his feet. "Miss Galinda! G-Good morning."

Galinda gasped softly as she got a good look at the Munchkin. "Oh, _Bick-"_

"Boq," Elphaba and Boq corrected her in unison.

"-What happened to you?!"

Boq's face reddened further. "I, er-"

Galinda turned to Elphaba in disapproval. "This isn't why you got detention, was it?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I'm not responsible for Boq's black eye. Although I want to know who is, so I can send them flowers," she replied, glaring at Boq, who cowered.

The Munchkin was in Elphaba's bad books for breaking up with Nessarose the week before, with no more explanation than "It's not you, it's me," which even _Elphaba _knew was a line- and a complete load of crap.

Nessa was devastated, sure that it was in fact, her- or more accurately, her chair. And Boq had been avoiding Elphaba's fury ever since.

Boq sank back into his seat, staring at his desk.

Elphaba stalked past him and planted herself in the back right corner. Galinda followed her, as though hoping she would be unnoticeable in the back of the room. Boq's eyes followed Galinda to the back, until she sat next to Elphaba and Boq caught the green girl's eye, and then he hastily whirled around to the front of the room again.

Elphaba glanced at the clock at the front of the room. It was still five minutes to seven. The three sat there in silence. Boq had brought some books and was studying- or pretending to. Elphaba sighed and took off her coat, placing it on the back of her chair. She drew out a book from her bag and opened it, although she wasn't really seeing the words on the page; while Galinda sat next to her, filing her nails.

At two minutes to seven, they heard footsteps approaching and they all looked up.

"_Fiyero!" _Galinda exclaimed, torn between mortification at being caught and delight at seeing her boyfriend.

Fiyero paused for a moment, his taking in the room and it's occupants at a sweep before he grinned at Galinda.

"Hi. You have detention?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"_These_ are your plans for today?" Galinda demanded of him, not answering his question.

"Um, yeah," Fiyero admitted sheepishly. "What did you do?"

Galinda blushed prettily. "Oh, well… that's not important."

"There was a sale," Elphaba spoke up, which explained everything Fiyero needed to know, which also directed Fiyero's attention to her.

"What did _you_ do?" he asked her.

Elphaba clamped her lips tightly together and stared at her book. Galinda looked to Fiyero and shrugged. Fiyero nodded awkwardly and took a seat in the third row on the left hand side. Galinda immediately jumped up from her seat and moved to sit next to him, leaving Elphaba alone in the corner.

Exactly on seven o'clock, they heard footsteps again. Elphaba assumed it was Madame Morrible, but when the person came into view, she groaned.

Avaric stopped at the front of the room to survey the others, smirking.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?"

Even from three rows back, Elphaba could see Galinda blush, and she knew why. Avaric would have no hesitation about spreading word about campus that the "good girl" had gotten a Saturday detention. Although Elphaba was also sure that Avaric's silence could be bought- but she was wary what price Avaric would demand for his silence.

Elphaba's day just got ten times worse. After more than a semester at Shiz, she still wasn't sure how Avaric remained near the top of the popularity scale while being such an ass. She suspected his family's money had something to do with that. Fiyero had his faults, but at least people still liked him. Elphaba didn't think anyone genuinely _liked _Avaric, yet he was a fixture in the most popular circles.

"The princess, the dork and the Artichoke. Well, this is a merry party, isn't it?"

"Yes, because you're such great company," Elphaba snarked.

Avaric sneered her. "You ask me, greenie. What, you're sitting up there with all your friends?"

Elphaba glowered at him furiously, as Galinda looked over her shoulder at her apologetically.

"Hey, Yero," Avaric greeted Fiyero, turning his attention away from Elphaba.

"Hey," Fiyero replied. "What did you get busted for?"

"Take your seat, Mr Tenmeadows," Madame Morrible's voice said from the doorway before Avaric could reply.

Avaric looked over his shoulder at the Headshizstress, before strolling nonchalantly to the back of the room and sitting in the opposite corner from Elphaba. Elphaba figured this was as close as he could get to antagonise her without having to actually sit near the green girl.

Morrible strode to the front of the room, staring them all down.

"Miss Elphaba, _must _you hide away in the back corner of every room?" she sighed.

Elphaba inwardly bristled at her tone, and fought not to show it. "I'm fine here, thank you, Madame."

Morrible looked sceptical, but turned to address them as a whole.

"I am very disappointed to see some of you here today," she said.

Boq reddened, Elphaba stared at the table top and Galinda looked as though she might burst into tears.

"Others, I am not surprised to see."

Fiyero shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but Avaric yawned loudly, unaffected by her speech.

"The time is now seven o'clock," Morrible continued. "Until four o'clock this afternoon, you will not leave this room. You will not speak, you will not study-"

Elphaba saw Boq hastily slide his books away from him, and she slowly closed the book she had been reading.

"You will not sleep."

These words seemed to be directed to Avaric and Fiyero.

"What I expect of you, for the next nine hours, is for you to reflect on what you did wrong. On the rules you broke, and the ways in which you have let down myself, your parents, the school and yourself. Do I make myself clear?"

Silence met her.

"You are young adults now. From these ivy covered walls, you will take your place in the world. Some of you, Oz forbid, are going to one day rule a province of Oz."

She narrowed her eyes at Fiyero, who was sitting very still.

"Childish and immature behaviour will not be tolerated in the real world, nor will I tolerate it in here. It is time you all grew up and thought about the people you want to be."

"Can I be a superhero?" Avaric called out. Morrible ignored him.

"We're going to try something a little different today," she told them. She held up something and Elphaba realised it was a stack of paper and pencils.

"I want you all to write an essay of no less than one thousand words."

Elphaba straightened, as did Boq in the front row. An essay didn't sound too bad. Fiyero groaned audibly.

"This essay is to describe to me, the person that you are."

Elphaba's brow furrowed as Morrible began to walk to each of them, handing them each a sheet of paper and a pencil.

"Are we being graded on this?" Boq asked tentatively, turning around to look at her.

Morrible heaved a sigh. "You need to learn, Mr Underhill, that the real word will not grade you."

Boq hesitated awkwardly. That didn't answer his question.

"I only need one word," Avaric chimed in, smirking.

"Yeah, asshole," Elphaba said under her breath. Avaric shot a glare at her, but Morrible apparently didn't hear her.

Morrible levelled him with a stony glare as she handed him his pencil and paper. "One thousand words, Mr Tenmeadows. No less."

She placed a sheet of paper on Elphaba's table and walked away to the front of the room again, placing the remaining paper on an empty table in the front row.

"Anyone who does not complete the assignment at the end of the day, will be joining me for another Saturday's detention. Does anyone not understand?"

Avaric raised his hand, looking confused. "Um, yeah. How many words is a thousand? Is that more or less than one?"

"It's a thousand less than the number of brain cells you have," Elphaba remarked coldly. "Of course, I'm surprised you can count to ten, although I suppose you can always count on your fingers."

He looked to her. "Let me count the number of shits anyone gives about you, green bean," he shot back. He very slowly began counting on his fingers. "One… two… oh, no wait. It's this many," he sneered, and held up a fist.

"Hey!" Galinda and Fiyero exclaimed in unison.

"That is _enough!" _Morrible raised her voice over them all.

Fiyero and Galinda turned around to the front of the room once more. Avaric snorted derisively, shooting a smug look at Elphaba. She ignored him and stared ahead, her head held high.

Morrible glanced at the clock in the front of the room. "You have eight hours and fifty four minutes. I will be downstairs in the librarian's office, and I _will _be checking on you. There is not to be any noise coming from this room," she warned them.

"Get to work."

As Morrible left the room, and her footsteps faded, silence did descend upon the room. For a moment.

"This is so ridiculous," Galinda complained. "I thought we'd be doing nothing, I didn't think we'd get _work _to do."

"So don't do it," Fiyero shrugged. "I'm not."

"You _want _to get more detention?" Elphaba asked in disbelief.

Fiyero turned around in his seat to look at her. "As opposed to writing an essay about 'who we are'? What kind of dumb essay is that?"

"I am Elphaba."

The other's eyes all turned to Avaric at the sound of his voice. He had his feet on the desk and his paper resting on his knee as he pretended to write something.

"I am green," he continued. "The End."

"Shut up, Avaric," Elphaba snapped. "I may be green, but at least I'm not a waste of space."

"Are you sure about that?" Avaric sneered, looking up at her.

"I think we should just do our essays," Boq said nervously, but too quietly for anyone to take notice of him.

"Avaric, leave her alone," Galinda scowled at Avaric, ignoring Boq or perhaps not just hearing him. "Just sit there and _shut up."_

Avaric looked at her innocently and mimed locking his lips shut and throwing away the key.

"If only it were that simple," Elphaba breathed.

Then she pulled her own paper towards her and blocked out the others in the room.

**AN. A few updates, for those of you who don't follow me on Twitter/Tumblr/whatever.**

**I have started my new/old job (old school, new job within the school). It's very weird teaching kids you don't see. But it's far less stressful, and that's a bonus.**

**Check out my blog for recent posts on my notes/expanded canon on **_**The Right Thing To Do **_**(instead of a sequel. I had ideas on what happened to everyone, but not enough to actually write a sequel); and also a post on how I picture each province of Oz as I write (with pictures). Link as always is on my profile. **


	2. Chapter 2: 10 22 am

**DISCLAIMER: Sigh…. The status quo is holding. I own nothing.**

**AN. Because I forgot to mention it last chapter, this is only 5 chapters long. Just a short one. **

**Chapter Two: 10.22 am**

Three hours later and Elphaba was beginning to think Fiyero was right- this was a dumb essay.

Her table was littered with scraps of paper, ill-fated attempts at her essay. The problem, she had decided, was the question they were being asked. "Who were they?" What kind of question was that? What did that even mean? What was Morrible really asking for?

Every time Elphaba thought she had interpreted the question and started writing, she got a few paragraphs or sentences in and then either got stuck or began doubting herself and started all over again.

The others didn't seem to be having much luck either. Although, to be fair, Elphaba couldn't be sure how many of them were actually doing the essay.

Avaric certainly wasn't, and was making no attempts to pretend otherwise. He was currently making origami birds and trying to make them fly. If it wasn't Avaric, Elphaba would be quite impressed by the birds and she was sure they weren't easy to make. But, you know, it was Avaric.

Glinda was bent over her paper, but Elphaba wasn't sure if she was writing or not. The blonde had apparently perfected the art of looking busy in class when instead doodling on the paper, so the teachers didn't call on her. But Elphaba was sure that if Glinda wasn't working, she would be by the end of the day. Her fear of what another detention would do to her image would override her distain of the work.

Fiyero was leaning back in his chair, feet up on the desk and he appeared to be sleeping. Elphaba was admittedly surprised- not that he wasn't working, but that he and Glinda were not seizing this opportunity to have a make out session. They'd spent most of the past month joined at the lips, and proved they had no qualms about public displays of affection.

Boq had been writing some, but like Elphaba, seemed to be having trouble. He was presently staring into space, and as the room was so quiet, Elphaba gradually became aware she could hear the Munchkin boy murmuring to himself quietly.

"_Who am I?"_ seemed to be the main phrase.

Soon, all the others turned their attention to Boq too, who remained completely oblivious.

"You're a dork," Avaric finally interrupted Boq's musings.

Boq jumped a mile and whirled around to face Avaric.

"Excuse me?"

"You. Are. A. _Dork,"_ Avaric repeated, slowly and clearly. "A nerd. A geek. A loser. Get it? There's four words right there. Only nine hundred and ninety six to go, but I'm sure you can use a thesaurus."

"You actually know what a thesaurus is?" Elphaba asked sceptically.

"Sure. Want me to get one and help you find some words for you?" Avaric offered. "Although you're probably better off using a colour wheel. How many shades of 'green' are there?"

"Avaric, why don't you lay off everyone?" Fiyero interjected before Elphaba could retort. "Just cool it, ok? It's a long day."

Avaric raised an eyebrow at the prince. "Just because you're sucking face with the princess doesn't mean you have to defend the losers, Tiggular. Or is blondie's 'goodness' rubbing off on you?" he winked suggestively and Galinda made a face even as she blushed.

"Don't be crass," Galinda said coldly.

"There _are_ ladies present," Boq pointed out.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Boq, stay out of it," she snapped.

Boq gaped at her. "He started it by calling me a dork!" he protested, pointing at Avaric. "I'm involved!"

Elphaba huffed under her breath. "_Please," _she muttered. As though 'dork' was the worst insult you could be called.

Avaric clearly agreed with her, as he snorted derisively at Boq. That rubbed Elphaba the wrong way immediately, so she launched a defensive attack on Boq's behalf. As furious as she was with Boq for breaking Nessa's heart, she hated Avaric more. And she _loathed_ being in agreement with him.

"Avaric fails to grasp that the purpose of university is to be educated," she said icily. "In _his _mind, anyone who actually picks up a book is deemed a 'dork'. I think he's just jealous of anyone who possesses the ability to string a sentence together."

"Who asked you, Artichoke?" Avaric scowled.

"You're just full of witty comebacks, aren't you?" Elphaba said mockingly.

"Elphie, just _ignore_ him," Galinda pleaded. "He's not any attention."

Avaric turned on her. "Oh, the princess of Shiz has decreed I'm not worthy of her attention," he gasped in mock horror. "What ever will I do?"

"_Shut up!"_ everyone said in unison.

Avaric swung his feet down from the top of the table and stood up. He strolled down to where Fiyero and Glinda were sitting and perched himself on the opposite desk to address Fiyero.

"Yero, since when are you such good friends with the nerd and the Artichoke?"

"We're not," Fiyero said defensively. "I just… you could be less of an ass," he said lightly. "We're stuck in here all day, and if you're not careful, she might turn you into a frog or something," he added, jerking his head in Elphaba's direction.

"A cockroach might be more appropriate," Elphaba muttered audibly.

Galinda made a sound that might have been a stifled giggle and Avaric glared at the green girl, but said nothing. It was maybe the wisest move Elphaba had ever seen him make.

Then, he turned on Galinda. A bold move, considering the large amount of social capital the blonde possessed on campus. Elphaba knew from experience how easy it would be for Galinda to socially exile Avaric if she chose. Elphaba was reasonably sure even Nessa would have turned against her before she and Galinda had become friends, if not for the fact they were sisters and Nessa didn't still rely on her in so many ways.

"I don't buy your whole 'aren't I good?' act, you know," he told her.

Galinda tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder and straightened her shoulders. "I don't know what you mean," she said coolly.

Avaric snorted. "_Please. _Making friends with… _her-" _pointing to Elphaba_ "-_and being in all those clubs and extra-curricular activities. I know it's all fake."

Galinda bristled and opened her mouth indignantly, but Avaric interjected before she could say as much as a syllable.

"You're simultaneously a member of the Equality for Oz Society _and _the Gilikinese High Society Club. Isn't that rather contradictory to take pride in 'blue blood', whilst proclaiming to want equality for everyone?"

For Elphaba, this day was a nightmare. She was in detention on a Saturday; who knew what her father was going to say to this; she was stuck in a room with Avaric and Fiyero- which was torturous for very different reasons; and now she and Avaric had agreed on something _twice._ She'd had this exact same conversation with Galinda, both before and after they'd become friends.

Galinda's response to Avaric had been the same as her response to Elphaba.

"At least I'm involved in something," she snapped. "What do _you _do?"

Avaric, unlike Elphaba however, had an answer. "I'll have you know that I am a _founding_ member of the Shiz Wine Appreciation Club," he retorted, and Elphaba rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"I'm in a study club," Boq offered, as though that was likely to impress Galinda.

"You won't win any points with the social elite on campus by belonging to an _academic _club, Boq," Elphaba said.

"Well… it's not an _official _club… and we don't always get much studying done," he added weakly, in case that helped.

"What is even the point of a study club?" Fiyero asked.

"To study?" Elphaba suggested sarcastically.

"It helps, though," Boq hastily said. "If there's something you don't quite understand in a class, or you miss a lecture or something… you have people who can help you. I was struggling in my Logic class until I joined the club, and it's really helped. I'm averaging a B plus."

Avaric snorted. "Wow, a B plus," he mocked. "What, you need good grades to make your parents proud?"

Boq hesitated, looking around at the others before answering Avaric. "Well… I mean, I guess they love me and they're proud of me no matter what grades I get," he said slowly. "But I want them to know I'm working to the best of my ability. Is there something wrong with wanting my parents to be proud of me?"

"No," Elphaba murmured without thinking about it. Thankfully, no one heard.

"I'm sure they're going to be _real _proud once they get Horrible Morrible's letter saying you had a Saturday detention for… what did you do, anyway?"

Boq went red, stared at his desk and mumbled something unintelligible. Avaric looked as though he was going to press the matter, but surprisingly- to Elphaba, at least- Fiyero jumped in to rescue the Munchkin from being interrogated.

"My parents won't care about Morrible's letter," he said carelessly.

"No, I'm sure they'll just be thrillified you aren't being expelled again," Elphaba said dryly.

"_Elphie!" _Galinda gasped, horrified as she swung around to face her friend.

Fiyero looked over his shoulder at Elphaba and smiled. "No, I'm sure she's right," he agreed.

Elphaba looked away from his gaze, staring back at her paper on the desk and fighting the blush she could feel rising from her neck.

"I'm dreading my parents' reaction," Galinda said mournfully. "Momsie and Popsicle will be so disappointed."

"Who cares?" Avaric yawned. "Seriously, who cares if your parents are disappointed? Because you got a detention?"

"I don't know who I pity more," Elphaba said stiffly, addressing Avaric. "Your parents or your future children."

Avaric laughed dryly. "I'm not going to have children. Who wants kids?"

"Won't you need kids to keep the Tenmeadows estate in the family?" Fiyero asked his friend.

Avaric considered that, and then wrinkled his nose. "Oh. I guess so. Fine. I guess I'll have _one _kid to inherit and let the nanny raise it."

"Yep. That settles it. I definitely feel worse for your children. Or the poor woman who gets stuck marrying you," Elphaba said.

He sneered at her. "You're one to talk, green girl. How much is your father going to have to bribe someone to marry _you?"_

"Avaric, leave her alone. I said the same thing to you three nights ago, remember? You didn't jump down _my_ throat," Fiyero pointed out.

Galinda was eager to move the conversation onto lighter topics. "Avaric, you should ask Pfannee out to the OzDust tonight. You two would be a lovely couple."

Elphaba had to agree with that. She loathed Pfannee almost as much as she did Avaric. They would be perfectly suited to one another.

Avaric considered that and then shrugged carelessly. "Hmm. We'll see."

"It's going to be _so_ much fun tonight," Galinda sighed wistfully. "I've bought a new dress especially for the occasion, dearest," she added to Fiyero.

"Great," Fiyero replied, forcing enthusiasm. "Are you coming, Elphaba?"

Elphaba looked over at them and raised an eyebrow. "To the OzDust?"

"Yeah."

"Yes," Galinda answered before Elphaba could.

Elphaba glared at her roommate.

"You said you'd think about it."

"No, _you _said I should think about it," Elphaba corrected her. "_I _said nothing, from memory."

"You should come," Fiyero said.

Elphaba hesitated. "I've got assignments to do…"

"Just come for an hour," Galinda wheedled.

Elphaba sighed and finally relented. "Fine. One hour," she agreed. "But nine o'clock on the dot, I'm out of there," she warned.

"Note to self," Avaric muttered. "Show up at nine."

Elphaba bristled. "You know what?" she demanded. "How anyone can stand to be around you for more than a nanosecond _astounds _me."

"Says the girl from whom people run in terror," Avaric snarked in return. "Talk about pitying relatives, your own _sister_ doesn't want to be around you."

Elphaba went very still. "You leave my sister out of this," she said through gritted teeth.

"Avaric, just stop," pleaded Galinda quietly, even as she got up and moved towards Elphaba.

"Why?" Avaric demanded. "Her sister's so delicate and so perfect? I doubt that," he snorted.

"You know _nothing_ about my sister or our relationship. All I can do is thank Oz she has better taste than to associate with lowlifes like you," Elphaba said in a low voice, glaring at Avaric.

Avaric knew he was pushing the right button here, and he took delight in it. Far too much delight to be bothered being insulted by any retort Elphaba could dish out.

"I know your sister only tolerates your presence because she can't walk," Avaric said, a note of glee in his voice. "And I know you hover over her as though you were her mother and not her sister. It's almost like a sense of guilt."

Elphaba stiffened and Galinda moved faster, her eyes wide.

Avaric continued as Boq looked on wide-eyed and Fiyero slowly rose to his feet. "And _she_ knows it too, and she manipulates the hell out you for that. She's got you about to kill the Munchkin nerd for daring to break her heart," he said, jerking his head towards Boq, who reddened. "She's nothing but a spoiled little rich girl playing martyr because she can't walk."

"Avaric, shut up," Fiyero warned him, his eyes on Elphaba. The green girl was visibly trembling and Fiyero had seen that once before.

Avaric ignored him.

"So, I guess the real question is- what does she have over you? It's not sisterly affection or obligation."

Elphaba stood up, glaring more furiously at Avaric.

"If it was, I'm sure even a saint would feel a little resentment by now over being constantly at her beck and call. It's guilt. And now I'm wondering- how exactly did Miss Nessarose end up in that chair? And where were _you _when she did?"

Elphaba's face was an odd colour beneath the green skin. The very air in the library seemed to stand still. The next thing any of them knew, Avaric was being flung back through the air, only stopping when he flew into a bookshelf. Several of the shelves broke under the impact, sending them, the books and Avaric to the floor with a crash that seemed to shake the whole building.

Boq jumped to his feet, but seemed uncertain what to do, gaping between Elphaba and where Avaric lay sprawled on the ground, groaning slightly.

Fiyero moved over to where Elphaba and Galinda stood. The blonde was glancing anxiously at her roommate, and she had wrapped an arm around the other girl's shoulders comfortingly. Elphaba was still staring at Avaric, still trembling with that strange look on her face.

"Elphaba?" he asked cautiously.

Even after the Lion Cub, he'd never seen her like this. He'd never seen her so detached. Almost afraid.

"Elphie?" Galinda asked softly, when Elphaba made no respond or acknowledgement of Fiyero's voice.

Elphaba didn't answer her either. Fiyero slipped off his jacket and placed it around Elphaba's shoulders. She jumped at the contact and tried to brush it away, but he slipped her arms into the sleeves firmly, worried she was in shock.

"Sit down, Elphie," Galinda murmured, and she and Fiyero eased the shaking girl back into her seat.

They heard hurried footsteps approaching the room, and Elphaba's face turned even paler.

"I'm going to be expelled," she whispered faintly.

Galinda frowned. "Elphie, what are you-?"

"What in the name of Oz is going on in here?!" Morrible exclaimed furiously as she entered the room, and took in the scene before her.

Fiyero and Galinda were sitting either side of Elphaba, who was grey-faced and wearing Fiyero's jacket; Boq was on his feet, looking awkward; and Avaric was by now sitting up with a grimace, blood trickling down from his hairline.

"Would someone care to explain this?" Morrible demanded icily.

"Avaric fell, Madame," Fiyero said swiftly.

Morrible turned her gaze on him, raising a sceptical eyebrow. "Fell?"

"Yes, ma'am. He was goofing off and was standing on that there table, and he… fell. Boom."

"… _Boom?"_

Fiyero shrugged nonchalantly. "It happens to the best of us, ma'am. Right, Av?" he called across to Avaric, who was struggling to his feet.

Avaric opened his mouth and coughed, one hand going to his side with a wince. "That's not-"

He looked over to where Elphaba sat with Fiyero and Galinda and stopped mid-sentence. Avaric was an ass, but he was no idiot; and the way Fiyero was staring at him was sending a message. One Avaric could read loud and clear.

"I wasn't 'goofing off'," he muttered reluctantly.

"But you _did _fall, Mr Tenmeadows?" Morrible pressed.

Avaric hesitated, and then sighed. "Yep," he muttered disdainfully. "Pretty much."

Morrible surveyed the room carefully.

"Sit _down_, Mr Underhill," she snapped at Boq, who positively fell back into his seat.

"Would one of you care to explain why Miss Elphaba's face is-"

"Green? Ugly?" Avaric interrupted.

Elphaba didn't even flinch, but Galinda jumped to her feet. "Haven't you learned by now to shut up?!" she demanded furiously.

"Miss Upland, take your seat," Morrible ordered. "Now. Someone _please _explain what is wrong with Miss Elphaba that requires the two of you to be out of your seats?"

"She took ill suddenly," Galinda lied, her shoulders straight and looking Morrible in the eye.

"Yeah," Fiyero agreed quickly. "Nausea, dizziness. And slightly feverish."

"Is that true, Miss Elphaba?" Morrible asked Elphaba.

Elphaba looked slightly startled. "I, um… a little," she finally responded. "But I think I'm fine now," she said quickly.

Morrible narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. She stepped forward and glanced at the papers on everyone's desk.

"Three hours. I am… disappointed with the amount of work I'm seeing completed so far. Mr Tenmeadows, if you feel that climbing on furniture is a better use of your time than writing your essay-"

Avaric snorted, distracted from the task of assessing how much damage there was from his fall.

"Lady, picking my nose is a better use of my time," Avaric scoffed.

Morrible's lips thinned in an odd smile. "Well, Mr Tenmeadows, let's give that particular pastime a rest, shall we? I'll see you next Saturday. As I will everyone who does not have a one thousand word essay on their desk by four o'clock this afternoon. If there is _one _more sound from this room, your families will receive word of more than a detention," she threatened.

"Mr Tenmeadows, go clean yourself up."

Avaric slunk out of the room to the bathroom, and with a final glare, Morrible left the room.

The moment she'd left, Elphaba tried to take off Fiyero's jacket, but he stopped her.

"Keep it on," he ordered gently. "I don't like your colour still."

"Not a fan of green?" Elphaba joked weakly.

Fiyero glared lightly at her, and she relented, keeping the jacket on.

"Elphie, what did you mean about being expelled?" Galinda asked softly.

Elphaba shook her head. "Nothing. It doesn't matter," she murmured. "You guys can go back to your seats now. Really, I'm fine. I just…"

"Avaric shouldn't have said that about Nessa," Galinda consoled her.

Elphaba chuckled. "It's nothing that-"

"_Elphaba," _Galinda cut her off sharply.

The girls exchanged a glance Fiyero didn't understand.

"We should get back to work," Elphaba finally said.

Galinda and Fiyero took that as a subtle hint for them to leave.


	3. Chapter 3: 11 30 am

**DISCLAIMER: Nope etc, etc. **

**Chapter Three: 11.30 am**

At half-past eleven, Madame Morrible informed them they had half an hour to eat lunch. They had been instructed to bring their own food ahead of time, and Morrible provided them with bottles of water from the cafeteria.

Elphaba had been so anxious over Nessa and her father's reaction she couldn't even stomach the idea of bringing food. Only at Galinda's insistence had she picked up at sandwich and an apple the night before. Galinda, on a goal of losing three non-existent extra pounds to fit into her new dress, only had a garden salad- no dressing, and a plain yoghurt; and she moved back to sit beside Elphaba as they ate.

Not to be left behind, Fiyero joined them and bemused the girls as he unpacked what seemed to be a ridiculous amount of food for one person onto the table.

"You're not seriously going to eat all that?" Elphaba demanded, sounding truly like her old self for the first time since she had lost control of her magic.

Fiyero looked at the desk, surveying his array of food. Sandwich, banana, chocolate bar, a packet of chips, and a few chocolate chips cookies in a small plastic bag.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and sighed slightly. "Never mind."

She looked up and saw Boq trying to subtly shoot them glances at them by looking over his shoulder; and she either took pity on him in her shaken state, or suspected she'd end up throwing her apple at his head if he didn't stop turning around.

"Boq, for the love of Oz, just get over here," she called out tiredly.

Boq jumped a mile, hesitated but then grabbed his lunch and moved to the row in front of them, turning the chair to face them.

"What is that?" Galinda asked, wrinkling her nose at Boq's lunch.

"Um, it's a tuna salad wrap," Boq answered awkwardly.

"It stinks," Elphaba grimaced faintly.

"Sorry," Boq apologised.

Fiyero inspected the other boy's lunch curiously. "Wrap, chocolate donut… soup? Is that container of soup?"

"Mushroom soup," Boq nodded.

They began to eat, none of them talking that much.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm _fine _over here," Avaric called out sarcastically from his corner.

When he got no response from the others, Avaric got up and dragged his chair to the end of the table, plopping his lunch on the table next to Galinda's salad.

"It's like he _has _a death wish," Elphaba commented to Galinda in amazement.

"Maybe I just felt lonely, over there all by myself," Avaric pouted in mock hurt.

Elphaba flexed her fingers without thinking too much about it; but she was pleased to see Avaric flinch slightly. She smirked and Galinda giggled quietly. Boq was steadily avoiding all eye contact and pretending he hasn't seen anything- probably wary of any repercussions from Avaric; but Elphaba thought she saw Fiyero take an extra-large bite of his sandwich to hide a grin of his own.

Galinda started talking about the _OzDust_ again, Elphaba suspected as a way to remind herself why she eating such an incredibly boring lunch. No one but Boq appeared to be actually paying attention to her- Elphaba was spinning her apple between her hands on the surface of the table absent-mindedly; and Fiyero was watching Elphaba's hands. As it turned out, Avaric was watching them all.

"So, Boq," he began conversationally, breaking into Galinda's spiel about who was going to the OzDust that night and with whom. Boq startled, not only at being addressed by Avaric, but being addressed by name- and the correct name at that.

"Why'd you dump Miss Tragically Beautiful?"

Elphaba stiffened, her apple flying out of her hands across the table and into Fiyero's lap. Boq choked on a spoonful of his soup.

"Av, maybe you really _do _have a death wish," Fiyero sighed heavily, polishing Elphaba's apple on his shirt and taking a bite from it.

Elphaba stared at him incredulously and Fiyero looked at her innocently.

"What?" he asked, his mouth still full of apple.

She rolled her eyes and reached over, taking his banana. "Nothing."

Fiyero grinned at her.

"I'm just curious!" Avaric insisted innocently, drawing their attention back to him. "Why'd you dump her?"

"I didn't _dump _her," Boq said defensively. "We only dated for a few weeks. And I just… I like her. I do," he added earnestly, glancing at Elphaba's ice glare.

"Nessa's _great. _But… I just don't want to date her. I just want to be friends… and I _told _Nessa that… but she's still mad," he finished miserably.

Avaric rested his elbows on the table top and interlocked his fingers, nodding thoughtfully.

"Right. Sure. I get that."

Avaric's sympathy didn't seem to be winning Boq's case any points with Elphaba.

"And it had nothing to do with the fact that you've got the hots for Princess Blondie over here?" he asked, jerking his head towards Galinda.

Boq spluttered. "What? _No! _I- I don't-"

"Oh, _please," _Avaric laughed. "It's the worst kept secret on campus."

Galinda was blushing almost as furiously as Boq. Fiyero looked almost amused, and Elphaba was pulling a face of disgust.

"What?" Fiyero asked her, noting her expression.

"I hate it when I have to agree with Avaric," she muttered and Fiyero chuckled faintly.

Boq was still spluttering incoherently, until Fiyero took pity on him.

"It _is _fairly obvious," he said gently. "It took me like thirty seconds after getting here before I knew."

"No," Boq said weakly, who had apparently thought his feelings were well-hidden. "I… Miss Galinda doesn't… I never…"

Galinda's face turned pinker under his gaze and stared at her salad.

"I know," she admitted. "I've known for ages."

"I never said anything! I never got the chance…" Boq glanced at Fiyero, recalling how the prince's arrival had ruined his moment.

"You didn't have to," Avaric snorted. "That's my point. Wearing a sign around your neck would have been more subtle."

Then he turned to Galinda. "So, my question for _you, _is- why isn't the Munchkin good enough for you? Besides the obvious, you know."

Galinda gaped at Avaric in stunned silence.

"Is it just because he's a Munchkin?" Avaric asked her sympathetically. "Because he's short? His nerdy qualities? Lack of title?"

"Do you think I'm that shallow?!" Galinda exclaimed incredulously.

Elphaba scoffed before she could stop herself, and the blonde glared at her.

"Sorry," she apologised, clearing her throat awkwardly and peeling the banana she had stolen from Fiyero.

"So, what is it?" Avaric pressed.

Galinda faltered, her gaze drifting to Boq, who avoided her gaze almost desperately.

"Bick- I mean, _Boq," _she corrected herself, glancing questioningly at Elphaba, who nodded in silent confirmation.

"_Boq _is… a very… nice guy," Galinda began calmly, and Boq winced, although being described as a "nice guy" wasn't a good thing.

"He's smart, and sweet… he's just… not the type of guy I usually date," she said diplomatically. "Ok? Does that answer your question? Can we finish our lunch in peace now?"

"I'm not smart and sweet?" Fiyero asked in injured tones.

"I'm not finished," Avaric said over him, grabbing a handful of potato chips from the bag he'd brought for lunch.

He waved a finger between Galinda and Elphaba. "This odd couple friendship thing that's sprung from nowhere. How did _that_ happen?"

"Why do you care?" Elphaba demanded.

"Because I've got a hundred bucks riding on the answer," he replied casually.

"_Dude_," Fiyero chided him.

"What? You weren't here for the first semester," Avaric reminded him. "They _loathed _each other, and suddenly _you_ show up, and they're best friends? No chance it was a ménage à trios kind of situation?" he asked hopefully.

Fiyero rolled his eyes and Galinda blanched.

"I will _gladly_ throw you into another bookshelf," Elphaba warned him icily and Avaric winced.

"We put our petty differences aside and got to know another," Galinda told him, tossing her hair. "That's all there is to it."

"Yeah, I'm sure it was that simple," Avaric muttered sceptically.

"Any more questions for anyone?" Fiyero asked him patiently. "Seriously, what are you doing? Getting dirt for the tabloids?"

Avaric grinned. "I wish. I could make a fortune on what the deal between you two is."

Galinda and Fiyero exchanged a bewildered glance.

"What are you talking about?" Galinda demanded. "What 'deal'?"

"We're dating. _Everyone_ knows that," Fiyero said. "Where have you been for the past month?"

"No, I know you're dating. The whole 'perfect couple' shtick you've got going."

"_Shtick?!" _Galinda repeated, sounding insulted.

Avaric laughed. "Come on, Blondie. It's an act. You guys aren't _actually _'perfect'," he said, using air quotes. "You just both are popular, rich and good looking. So, on paper, it makes sense for you two to date."

"Do you have a point?" Elphaba interrupted him. "Or is it your goal to annoy everyone today?"

"I'm just wondering why they're dating, that's all. A month is a long time to date the same girl in Tiggular's world. I just can't work out what's so special about Blondie," Avaric shrugged.

As Galinda and Fiyero exchanged a silent glance, Avaric got to his feet, whistling cheerfully. "Well, this was fun. I'm going to stretch my legs," he said, and wandered off.

Elphaba looked at the clock. They had fifteen minutes remaining for "lunch".

"I'm going to the bathroom," she said to Galinda quietly, and left the room.

Truth be told, Avaric's questioning of them all had made Elphaba slightly nervous and more than a little uncomfortable. It appeared that despite being a complete asshole, Avaric Tenmeadows was observant and inquisitive. An unfortunate combination.

Elphaba was surprised that Avaric had bothered to question Boq over his and Nessa's brief relationship. She wasn't sure if Avaric had an ulterior motive beside causing trouble amongst the others; but whether he had intended it or not, Avaric had succeeded in making Elphaba soften slightly towards Boq. She was still furious about the way he'd broken up with Nessa, but she had a better idea of his reasons for doing so now.

Elphaba supposed she had to be grateful that Boq had ended it now, rather than dragging it on for months. Although now Elphaba was faced with the prospect of after her detention was over, having to go talk to Nessa and try and convince her the break up was for the best. That is, if Nessa would even talk to her now.

Elphaba dawdled in the bathroom as much as she could, not terribly enthusiastic about going back to have to write her essay. She still had no idea what to write.

When she returned to the area where they were sitting, Boq was the only one there, back in his front row seat.

"Avaric's not back yet, and Galinda and Fiyero went that way about five minutes ago," Boq answered her silent question, pointing in the direction Galinda and Fiyero had gone.

Elphaba retreated back to her corner, clearing away the rubbish of lunch and the first attempts of her essay.

"Elphaba?"

Elphaba looked up to find Boq looking at her, turning around in his seat.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really didn't want to hurt Nessa."

Elphaba met his gaze for a moment, and finally nodded. "I know," she said and she could practically see Boq's shoulders sink in relief.

"I'm… I'm sorry," she added with difficulty. "I've been a little harsh to you. But… it's my job to take care of Nessa, and you hurt her. You didn't tell her any of what you told Avaric today. You told _Avaric, _but not Nessa."

Boq winced. "I didn't want to hurt Nessa by telling her I don't like her that way. She was so happy when I asked her out."

"I remember," Elphaba said softly.

"I'll talk to Nessa the next time I see her," Boq promised hastily. "Try and explain everything. I _do _want to be friends with her."

Elphaba smiled faintly. "Good."

As the clock struck twelve, Avaric was still nowhere to be seen. Galinda and Fiyero returned seconds before Morrible entered. Elphaba startled as Galinda collected her pen and paper from her old spot and sat next to Elphaba. Her eyes were slightly pink and she looked sombre.

As Morrible reminded them of their task and the time limit- four hours remaining, and the consequences of what awaited them if they failed to complete the task, Galinda scribbled something on her sheet of paper and discreetly pushed it into Elphaba's view.

_Fiyero and I broke up._

Elphaba startled visibly, as Morrible left to try and find Avaric.

"What do you mean, _you broke up?!"_ she hissed.

Galinda just shrugged. "We talked, and we realised Avaric might have a point-"

"Ok, _Avaric _is never a reason to do _anything. _Except gouge your eyes out. Or shower. Which I feel I'm going to have to do for an hour tonight. I've agreed with that ass _three _times today," she shuddered. "It does not sit well with me."

Galinda giggled faintly in sympathy with her roommate, before her smile faded.

"We realised that we weren't really sure why we were together. That maybe we weren't as perfect together as we first thought."

"Galinda, you've spent the past month telling me how you and Fiyero were going to be married," Elphaba whispered, in case Fiyero or Boq should be able to hear them.

"I know," Galinda agreed softly. "But… it's different now. Fiyero's been acting so odd recently, you know?"

Elphaba fought a wince. She did know, and unlike Galinda, she knew why. Unless…

"Did you ask Fiyero about that?" she asked carefully.

Galinda nodded slowly. "Yes. He said he's just been thinking about his future… making changes. He might have ended it with me anyway," she sighed heavily.

"Are you ok?" Elphaba asked in concern.

Galinda paused, looking more thoughtful than Elphaba had ever seen her.

"I don't know," she admitted finally. "I mean, we were only together a month… I guess it wasn't that serious. It was a _weird _breakup," she frowned.

"The weirdest one I've ever had."

"Weird in what way?" Elphaba asked.

"Not in any way dramatic," Galinda answered, looking so confused about that Elphaba almost laughed.

They were interrupted as Morrible returned to the room, dragging Avaric by the arm.

"That will be another two Saturdays of detention, Mr Tenmeadows. In the future, _kindly _try to remember that when you are asked not to leave a room, that doesn't exclude an exit via the windows or the air vents."

"Well, _kindly _try to remember to be more specific in your instructions, ma'am," Avaric said innocently, pulling free from her grasp and taking his seat.

Morrible fixed him with a stern glance. "You have three hours and fifty-two minutes to write me a one thousand word essay on the topic of who you think you are; and if I do not have it in my hands at the strike of four, I will have you spend the next three weekends copying out the Shiz student policy handbook word for word repeatedly between the hours of seven am and four pm. Are those instructions _specific _enough for you, Mr Tenmeadows?"

Avaric stared up at her sullenly. "Just one question, _Madame. _You said the essay is on "who you think you are". Does the 'you' refer to me, or you?"

Madame Morrible ignored him and stared at the others. "You are losing valuable minutes," she warned them all and left the room once more.


	4. Chapter 4: 2 12 pm

**DISCLAIMER: Nothing has changed since the last chapter. I own nothing. **

**Chapter Four: 2.12 pm**

One hour and forty-eight minutes remaining.

Elphaba had finished her essay, going with the strategy that if she didn't know what direction Morrible was looking for, she'd simply write them all. It solved her worry about not meeting the word limit, at least. Now, she was sitting silently in her corner, pretending to read her book. In reality, she was mulling over Galinda and Fiyero's breakup.

Of course, Galinda hadn't said much. Elphaba had expected that, when Fiyero was in earshot; but she seemed rather calm for breaking up with the man she had insisted she would marry. Galinda was pale, however, and very quiet. She had been writing steadily for the past hour and a half, keeping her head down so Elphaba couldn't see her face.

Fiyero had his head down too, studiously not turning around. Elphaba didn't think she'd ever seen him so quiet or so focused. Boq, like Elphaba, had finished writing his essay and had been studying quietly for the last twenty minutes.

A noise startled Elphaba from her thoughts and she looked up to find a paper ball had landed on the desk before Galinda. Both girls looked over at Avaric, who winked at the blonde and mimed for her to open it. Galinda looked to Elphaba, who wrinkled her nose sceptically. Warily, Galinda opened it. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and then passed the paper to Elphaba.

As she took it, Elphaba saw there were words on it.

_I heard you and Tiggular broke up. Looking for a rebound fling? _

Elphaba silently gagged and Galinda stifled laughter. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and looked over to Avaric.

"_In your dreams," _she mouthed.

Avaric pouted, clutching his chest as though wounded and Galinda rolled her eyes and turned away.

Twenty minutes later, Galinda flung down her pen triumphantly.

"Finished!" she exclaimed, not troubling to keep her voice down.

"You have to count the words," Elphaba reminded her, before the blonde could get too excited. "It has to be at least a thousand, remember?"

Galinda made a face. "How long was yours?" she asked, reluctantly beginning to count.

Elphaba paused, slightly sheepish. "Twelve hundred and forty nine," she admitted.

"One thousand, one hundred and three," Boq chimed in.

"_Dorks," _Avaric coughed audibly, but was ignored.

Galinda counted silently for the next few minutes, and then her face fell. "Nine hundred and ninety eight," she said in dismay.

She stared at her paper with a frown, and then picked up her pen once more.

"The End," she said aloud as she scribbled the two words at the bottom of her essay.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"There, _done_," Galinda said in satisfaction. "Ugh, my hand is cramping from all the writing," she complained, flexing her fingers. "I can't believe I had to do all that for skipping _one _class."

"Well, are you going to skip class again?" Elphaba asked pointedly.

"Well… I'm definishly not going to get caught," Galinda muttered and Elphaba laughed.

"What class did you skip?" Boq asked Galinda.

Galinda made a face. "Morrible's Sorcery seminar," she answered, which explained why Morrible had been so mad.

Elphaba had no sympathy for her roommate. "You were so desperate to get into the class. I told you it was a dumb idea," she said.

Galinda frowned at her. "Meanwhile, you still won't tell me what _you _did," she replied.

Elphaba bit her lip, falling silent immediately. That caught the attention of the others, although while Boq and Fiyero looked curious, Avaric just looked delightedly intrigued.

"What _did _you do, Thropp?" he demanded. "It's something good, isn't it? Something big?"

"You'd be the last person I'd tell, Tenmeadows," Elphaba snapped. She slammed her book shut, got up from her seat, and stormed away amongst the bookshelves in the back of the room.

She wasn't surprised that Galinda followed her after only a moment, pausing only a moment before she sat down on the floor beside Elphaba, who had sunk to the floor to sit against a bookshelf.

"Elphie? What happened?" she whispered.

Elphaba said nothing.

"Elphaba?" Galinda pressed. "You can tell me."

Elphaba stared at the ground.

"It can't be that bad," Fiyero said, startling them as he seemingly appeared from nowhere.

Elphaba looked up at him as he leaned casually against the bookshelf. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

"Because if it was _really _bad, you wouldn't get a weekend detention. You' be expelled," Fiyero replied. "Although, I mean, I've been expelled for less."

"Less than what?" Boq asked, as he hovered uncertainly behind Fiyero.

"You wouldn't think a school would be so touchy about someone grafittiing the portrait of their past headmasters," Fiyero said thoughtfully.

Elphaba, Galinda and Boq exchanged glances.

"What did you do to get detention?" Galinda asked Fiyero.

Fiyero hesitated, looking from Galinda to Elphaba before answering. "I threw a little get together for some of the boys in my building in my suite the other night," he said. "It got a little… out of hand."

"In what way?" Elphaba asked warily.

"You had a party?" Boq asked at the same time, sounding hurt.

Elphaba supposed Boq's dorm was in the same building as Fiyero's, and the Munchkin had not warranted an invitation to Fiyero's so-called "little get together". The sheepish glint she caught flashing across Fiyero's face confirmed that supposition.

"It was just a few of the boys," Fiyero said, not directly to Boq. "There may have been some property damage."

"Damage like broken furniture?" Galinda frowned.

"Broken windows?" Elphaba guessed.

"Broken light fixture," Fiyero admitted.

"How did _that _happen?!" Galinda demanded.

"Someone was swinging on it, and it… fell," Fiyero explained vaguely. "Not me," he added hastily. "But no one came forward, and it was my suite and my party… so I got the punishment."

"Wait," Boq interrupted. "Is that what caused the power in the building to go off?"

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "_I _don't know! What am I, an electrician?" he demanded.

"How didn't you get expelled for that?" Elphaba asked.

Fiyero shrugged. "Morrible and I worked out a deal. I paid for the damages, and did the detention… I get another chance. What?" he asked Elphaba.

The green girl was starting at him oddly.

"_I don't suppose I'll last any longer at this school than any of the others,'" _Elphaba quoted.

The others looked at her in confusion.

"You said that to your driver the day you arrived here," Elphaba reminded him. "It didn't particularly sound like you cared about being expelled from here. So, why bother making a deal with Morrible?"

Fiyero avoided her gaze. "Maybe I like it here?"

The sound of Avaric's laughter came from the other side of the bookshelf behind Elphaba. The other four all looked to see Avaric peering at them from in between books, clearly eavesdropping on them, no doubt hoping to hear the dirt on why Elphaba had detention.

"You _like _it here?" he demanded of Fiyero in disbelief.

"Yeah," Fiyero said nonchalantly. "It's got nice people."

Elphaba was just watching him with the same expression she had in the clearing with the Lion Cub when she had called him out on his act. It unnerved him now as much as it had then.

He sighed a little, shrugged and sank down onto the floor next to Galinda and opposite Elphaba.

"Honestly? I do like it here. But I don't think my parents can cope with another expulsion. And I'd like my father to live another few decades- I'm not dying to get on the throne."

"You don't want to be king?" Galinda asked, sounding amazed by the idea.

"I don't really have a choice," Fiyero pointed out. "But no… not until I have to be." He cracked a grin. "Way too much responsibility."

The others continued to just stare at him, and Fiyero grew slightly uncomfortable.

"Boq, come and sit down," he ordered the Munchkin boy. "You're making the place look untidy."

Startled, Boq did as ordered, taking a seat beside Fiyero.

"What's the story with the eye?" Fiyero asked. "And does it have anything to do with why _you're _here on this fine Saturday?"

"How did you know that?" Boq demanded.

"Because you're a nerd, Munchkin," Avaric commented. "And nerds don't typically get shiners. Well, they _do, _but I'd know about it."

"How would you know about it?" Galinda frowned.

"Because it'd be him or his friends who gave it to him," Elphaba said dryly, turning to stare at Avaric challengingly through the shelf.

He smirked at her in silent agreement.

"It wasn't Avaric or one of his friends who gave me the black eye," Boq muttered.

"Who was it?" Fiyero prodded.

Boq paused. "Timaeus."

Elphaba was the only one who recognised the name. "Your roommate?" she frowned.

Boq's roommate was only a smidgeon above him on the social ladder, but still not high enough for the likes of Galinda, Fiyero or Avaric to notice him.

Boq nodded. "Yeah."

"He missed our Literature class yesterday," Elphaba recalled. "One of his friends said he fractured his jaw?"

Boq's face was redder than Elphaba had ever seen it. "Yeah…"

"_Did you do that?!"_ Fiyero asked, sounding impressed. "Why? Is he that bad of a roommate?"

"It doesn't matter," Boq muttered.

"Come on, Boq," Fiyero cajoled him. "We're sharing here."

"Elphaba hasn't shared yet," Boq argued.

"She's the grand finale. Spill."

"Ten bucks says it was something lame, like he tripped in the dark," Avaric chimed in, coming around the shelf to join them, sounding bored.

Boq hesitated, and then caved as they all knew he would. "I did it," he admitted, sounding miserably guilty about it.

"Why?" Galinda gaped at him.

"He was saying… things about… someone that wasn't appropriate. He wouldn't stop, so I punched him."

"He was saying what about who?" Fiyero asked curiously.

Boq clamped his mouth shut and refused to say. Fiyero and Avaric tried to guess, but he remained silent.

"It's one of us," Elphaba realised. "Timaeus was talking about Galinda."

Boq looked to her with wide eyes.

"What makes you say that?" Fiyero questioned her.

"Otherwise he wouldn't be so reluctant to say," Elphaba explained, her eyes on Boq. "There's only two people he'd be trying to protect. Nessarose- and he knows if he defended Nessa that would only win him points in my book; and Galinda."

Galinda looked to Boq with wide-eyes. "Your roommate was saying things about _me_? What was he saying?" she demanded.

She looked the epitome of innocence, all wide blue eyes and the beginnings of an injured pout. Boq didn't stand a chance of keeping his mouth shut. But the look of anguish on his face as he answered, almost made Elphaba pity him. Almost.

"Some of the boys in the building have been running a pool on how long… how long you and Fiyero would last," he explained miserably. "I don't think anyone guessed you guys would make it past a month, and they've been speculating why. They were rather crude theories."

"Oh, because I suppose it's impossible that we're in love," Galinda said sarcastically.

"You guys just broke up," Elphaba reminded her.

"I _know. _But… it _could _have been," she muttered.

Then Galinda turned to Boq as though she had just realised what he'd said.

"You fractured your roommate's jaw defending me?" she asked him.

"Well… I mean, sort of. I wouldn't… it was no big deal," Boq stammered awkwardly.

Galinda leaned around Fiyero and kissed Boq swiftly on the cheek, making his face turn even redder.

"Thank you, Boq. You're very sweet," she told him sincerely.

Boq made an odd sound as he gaped at her.

"I'm guessing Morrible gave you detention instead of anything more severe because you were defending Galinda?" Elphaba guessed. "Did Timaeus get detention?"

Boq nodded in answer to both questions. "He gets two weeks… once he gets out of hospital," he cringed. "He's giving her the names of everyone in the betting pool to avoid suspension."

Avaric swore under his breath, drawing attention to himself.

"Let me guess- your name will be on that list?" Fiyero raised an eyebrow.

"I had two and a half weeks," Avaric sighed.

"Why are _you_ here?"

Avaric had no qualms or abashment about admitting why he was spending his weekend in detention.

"Some friends and I had a midnight feast in the cafeteria, made a bit of a mess. I got busted," he shrugged calmly, and then leered at Elphaba.

"Which would leave… the Artichoke girl."

Elphaba clamped her mouth shut tightly, even as her eyes narrowed at Avaric.

"It won't leave this room, whatever you tell us," Fiyero promised her.

"Somehow I doubt that," Elphaba snapped, her eyes going to Avaric.

"She has a point," Avaric nodded. "I have to give her credit for that."

Fiyero and Galinda both glared at him.

"Then you can leave," Galinda informed him.

"I don't think so," Avaric snorted.

"Then forget it," Elphaba said immediately.

Fiyero held up a finger and turned to Avaric. "Av, you said anything about what Elphaba tells us today and I'll tell everyone that thing you told me that you don't want anyone knowing."

Avaric glowered at the prince, but said nothing, which Fiyero took as his agreement. Fiyero turned to Elphaba and grinned in satisfaction.

"See? His lips are sealed. So, spill."

Elphaba was curious as to what exactly Avaric didn't want people knowing. But she evidently trusted Fiyero that the secret was big enough to buy Avaric's silence, because she ultimately relented.

"There were these girls…" she began slowly.

"Which girls?" Galinda demanded immediately, sensing the end of this story would not be a happy one.

"They were third year students. I don't think you'd know them," Elphaba replied. "It wasn't really the kind of moment where you exchange names, at any rate."

"What did they do?" Boq asked, evidently agreeing with Galinda about where this story was going.

Although Boq's agreement probably was more based on experience than Galinda's was.

"I was sitting out by the canal, studying," Elphaba continued. "They claimed it was 'their' tree and demanded I leave. I refused, on the principle that claiming ownership of a tree is completely ludicrous. They started on a tirade that makes Avaric and Pfannee look like fluffy bunny rabbits in comparison. And I got mad…"

"Your magic?" Fiyero asked, and Elphaba nodded faintly, her eyes flickering to him for a moment.

"I didn't mean to," she murmured. "A few tree branches fell… they weren't really hurt, but it was enough. They complained to Morrible, they said I'd done it on purpose. Morrible believed them."

"_That's _why you're so worried about your father," Galinda realised.

Elphaba nodded. "He might make me leave just because of the detention, let alone why I got it."

"He can't make you leave because of something you can't control!" Fiyero said in outrage.

"He can," Elphaba refuted. "I don't think he believes I can't control my magic anyway," she admitted.

"We won't let him take you back to Munchkinland," Galinda reassured her.

"We?" Elphaba raised her eyebrow slightly.

"Well, _I _won't, anyway," Galinda declared, looking around at the others defiantly.

Avaric scoffed. "Yeah, don't hold your breath, Princess. I say let her leave. It'd be no great loss."

"Av!" Fiyero reproached him.

"What? Why are you sticking up for her?" Avaric demanded.

"Because she's my friend," Fiyero answered.

Avaric looked sceptical. "Seriously?!" he challenged.

Fiyero faltered for only a moment. "Yes."

Avaric scoffed. "Oh, and I suppose you're suddenly friends with the Munchkin, too?" he asked, pointing to Boq.

"Well… no. I guess this is the most time I've ever spent with Boq," Fiyero admitted readily. "But… we could be friends. Right, Boq?"

Boq looked bewildered. "Um… sure?" he replied tentatively. Elphaba had an idea how he felt.

Avaric laughed. "Well, isn't this sweet? It's like a little loser family," he sneered mockingly.

"You don't seriously think you're all suddenly going to be friends after today?"

"Elphaba and I are already friends," Galinda pointed out. "And why couldn't we all be friends? Even if we _are _a 'little loser family'."

Fiyero grimaced. "Ok, but let's change the name," he suggested.

"To what?" Boq asked.

The prince shrugged. "I don't know…"

Galinda was making plans with Elphaba, not listening to the boys. "We could do breakfast once a week? Like a Sunday morning, you know? Or maybe brunch is better…"

"The Breakfast Club!" Fiyero interjected brightly, with the air of one hit by inspiration.

"The Breakfast Club?" Elphaba repeated.

Avaric laughed. "Ok, I take it back. You can all be friends. You're all secretly dorks," he chortled.

"Ok, that's it," Elphaba said, losing her patience again. "What the hell gives you the right to be such an ass?" she demanded.

"Seriously. Who inflated your ego to make you think that you're better than everyone else? You're not royalty, your family isn't as old or as rich as Galinda's, and in case you forgot- I _am _a Governor's daughter, even if I don't act like it. Boq's family may not be rich, but at least they _work _for a living. I'm shocked you manage to get dressed in the morning without a servant helping you. You're nothing but a spoiled, rich brat who likes to imagine himself the centre of everyone's universe. You don't have the brains to hold over anyone, so it can't be that. So, _please. _Fill us in on what the secret is that makes you better than everyone else?"

Avaric looked at her coldly, while the others were silent. It didn't even sound like they were breathing.

"I'll have you know, Thropp," Avaric said icy, glaring at her. "That my parents cut me off over Lurlinemas. And I have managed to dress myself for some time now without assistance."

He stalked away, leaving the others in stunned silence.

"Is that what he didn't want anyone to know?" Galinda asked Fiyero in a whisper.

"Yeah… which I guess isn't really an issue anymore," Fiyero mused. "Now I don't have any more leverage over him," he complained.

Galinda and Elphaba stared at him pointedly.

"Which ok, isn't the point," he added hastily. "But… I already knew. I'm not really shocked," he reminded them.

Elphaba got to her feet.

"What are you doing, Elphie?" Galinda asked.

"Oz be damned if I know," Elphaba muttered and walked away.

She found Avaric lying on a table at the front of the room, staring up at the ceiling. Elphaba took a breath, gritted her teeth and approached him.

"Why did your parents cut you off?"

Avaric said nothing.

"Apparently he wasn't living up to the family's standards," Fiyero offered cheerfully from behind her.

"Thanks, Yero."

"Any time."

"His father said he needs to learn the value of money and not to take being rich for granted... or something. Basically, I think he might agree with what you said," Fiyero said to Elphaba.

Elphaba grimaced faintly. As if this day couldn't get any worse- she was feeling pity for Avaric Tenmeadows.

"Do you know why I came to Shiz?" she said quietly.

"Thropp, the last thing I want to hear is about your life's hopes and dreams," Avaric said, closing his eyes.

"I'm here to take care of my sister. That's the _only_ reason I'm here. My degree is going to be worthless. I'm going to spend the rest of my life after graduation taking care of my sister and running my father's household."

Avaric opened his eyes and looked at her. "Why?"

"My father hates me," Elphaba said, figuring that was a vague explanation of the truth.

He snorted. "Yeah, I buy that."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Forget I even bothered."

"Well, why _did _you bother?" Avaric demanded.

Elphaba threw up her hands in exasperation. "To let you know that you're not the only one with family secrets, maybe. That we're all human, even _the green girl_," she almost spat at him.

"Elphaba's right," Boq spoke up quietly. "I mean… my parents expect a lot from me. I'm the first one in our family to go to university, they want me to get good grades. I have to take over the farm from my dad one day…"

"Yeah, _that's_ the same," Avaric laughed hollowly.

"Can you just say _one _thing without being horrendible about it?" Galinda asked him.

"I already told you guys my secret," Fiyero said, as though he didn't want to be left out.

"That you don't want to be king?" Elphaba asked him.

"Yeah."

"I don't understand that," Galinda complained.

"Shocking," Elphaba muttered. As Galinda rolled her eyes at her friend, Elphaba turned to her innocently.

"Any secrets you'd like to share, Miss Upland?" she asked, taking a seat on the table behind the one Avaric was lying on.

Galinda scoffed. "I don't have any secrets," she declared.

Elphaba smirked. "See, on one hand, I don't believe you- because I know you. One the other hand, I kind of do, because the last "secret" you told me was that you and Fiyero were going to be married six hours after you met."

Fiyero looked startled. "I'm sorry. You said _what _now?" he asked Galinda in alarm.

She blushed. "Well, _obviously _I was wrong," she muttered. "Thanks, Elphaba," she muttered to her roommate.

"Come on, fess up," Elphaba challenged her.

Galinda hesitated. It was only on the urging of Boq and Fiyero that she gave in.

"Well," she said slowly, pausing thoughtfully.

Elphaba wasn't sure whether she was silent to create suspense, or because she honestly was trying to think of what she wanted to share. No one valued their carefully constructed public image more than Galinda, and the blonde was very aware that letting the wrong person (Avaric, most probably) know the wrong thing could change everything.

"She doesn't have any secrets," Avaric scoffed. "She's perfect. Little Miss Perfect, with the perfect life."

"My life is not perfect," Galinda snapped.

"Oh, _really?" _Avaric mocked. "In what way? Did you chip a nail?" he asked anxiously.

Galinda hesitated. "I came to Shiz so I didn't have to get married."

That floored everyone.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Elphaba asked in surprise.

"I was a debutante and then I did a year of finishing school. And then my parents started talking about marriage."

"An _arranged _marriage?!" Elphaba demanded in distaste.

"They even had someone in mind, an associate of Popsicle's," Galinda nodded. "Momsie and Popsicle were a little older than most parents… Momsie had trouble falling pregnant. They want me to be taken care of if something should happen to them," she explained.

"In other words, married to someone rich and with a title," Fiyero guessed.

"Preferably," Galinda nodded.

"Would you agree to an arranged marriage?" Boq asked, his eyes wide.

"I'd rather not," Galinda answered him.

Elphaba hesitated. "Galinda, did you come to Shiz to find a husband?" she asked warily.

Galinda bit her lip. "Not _specifically_," she said slowly. "But if it happened… it can't hurt, right? I mean, if I have the choice, I want to marry for love."

Avaric looked to Fiyero. "Bet you're glad you already dumped her before you found this out, right?"

"I didn't _dump _her!" Fiyero objected.

"It was mutual," Galinda agreed.

Avaric scoffed. "Sure. '_Mutual'," _he mocked, making air quotes with his fingers.

"I give up," Elphaba said in disgust and walked away as far from Avaric as she could get.

"What?" Avaric asked the others innocently.

"What does someone have to say to get you to behave like a human being?" Galinda demanded, before following Elphaba.

"She has a point," Fiyero said.

Avaric seemed to ignore him. Boq took the opportunity to skulk away unnoticed.


	5. Chapter 5: 3 24 pm

**DISCLAIMER: Sadly, no. I cannot claim credit for anything.**

**AN. I'm glad you liked the little Galinda twist! Go check out my blog for more info if you're interested in that. **

**Chapter Five: 3.24 pm**

They were almost there. Thirty-six minutes to go.

They were mostly doing their separate things, staying in their own space. Galinda and Elphaba were hiding away amongst the shelves, as far away from Avaric as Elphaba could get. Galinda had coerced Elphaba into letting her style her hair and had produced an alarming amount of makeup from her purse.

Boq had initially tucked himself in a corner desk with his books to study, but had been disrupted when Fiyero had apparently taken it upon himself to prove Avaric wrong and form a friendship with Boq. The prince had planted himself in the seat next to Boq and started talking until Boq had no choice but to engage in conversation.

Avaric… well, Avaric was being ignored by everyone, and it appeared as though he didn't care about that.

"There!" Galinda exclaimed in satisfaction as she finished styling Elphaba's hair.

The green girl's hands immediately flew to her head. "What did you do?" she asked tentatively.

Galinda swatted her hands away. "Don't worry. Would I do anything that makes you look horrendible?" she demanded.

"You gave me that hat," Elphaba retorted, referring to the pointed black hate bestowed upon her by the blonde.

"You love that hat," Galinda said dismissively.

"I do," Elphaba agreed. "You don't, hence why you gave it to me. This is my point."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Elphie, that was _before _we were friends. _Trust _me."

Elphaba was understandably still wary, especially as Galinda picked up a tube of lip gloss and waved it in the air triumphantly, looking at Elphaba with a gleam in her eye.

"_No-"_

"Too late," Galinda sang gaily.

It was another fifteen minutes before Elphaba managed to escape Galinda's clutches, wondering why on earth her friend carried that much makeup with her to attend a detention in the library.

She was intending to head to the bathroom to see exactly what damage Galinda had done, but stopped in her tracks as she entered the table area and Fiyero and Boq gaped at her.

"What?" she demanded self-consciously. "What did she do? Does it look awful?"

"No," Fiyero said hastily. "No, it doesn't. It's just…"

"I know. I've been 'Galindafied' again," Elphaba sighed.

Fiyero smiled slightly. "Well, yes. But-"

"Galindafied?" Galinda herself asked, coming up beside Elphaba. "What's that?"

"I made it up," Fiyero offered. "It just means Elphaba's all… made over."

Galinda beamed. "Doesn't she look swankified?"

"She looks… different. Nice," Boq offered, clearly torn between wanting to agree with Galinda but not wanting to get in Elphaba's bad books again if she was unhappy about the makeover.

"She looks pretty," Fiyero said, his eyes flickering to Elphaba for a mere moment.

Elphaba hastily tried to change the subject. "What's going to happen with the two of you now?" she asked Galinda and Fiyero, sitting down with the two boys. "If it was a drama-free breakup, are you friends?"

Galinda sat down next to Elphaba and looked to Fiyero, who shrugged casually. "Sure."

"We should still go together to the _OzDust _tonight," Galinda suggested. "That way everyone will _know _that we're still friends and stop any horrendible rumours from starting."

"Sure," Fiyero said agreeably. "You're still coming, right, Elphaba?"

"I agreed," Elphaba nodded, not terribly enthusiastically. "But _only _for an hour."

"Do you think Nessa would like to come with us?" Galinda asked.

Elphaba paused uncertainly. "I don't know…"

"She needs to get out. She can't sit around her room _moping _in the same compartment with Horrible Morrible," Galinda said, making a face.

Elphaba smiled faintly. "I agree. But I don't think she's terribly pleased with me at the moment, remember?"

"I'll talk to her," Galinda offered.

"Um, actually," Boq interjected awkwardly. "I'd really like to talk to Nessa… if that's ok?" he added to Elphaba.

Elphaba looked rather pleased. "Ok," she agreed.

"Boq, you coming?" Fiyero asked the Munchkin. "You can come with us."

It was a bold offer and despite the events of the day, Boq's face still showed surprise.

"I think that will depend on Nessarose," he said. "But thank you for the invitation," he hastily added.

"Are you this keen to prove Avaric wrong?" Elphaba asked Fiyero. "That you and Boq can be friends?"

"It is fun," Fiyero grinned at her. "Plus, I feel like the status quo on campus needs a few shakeups."

"I don't think becoming friends with Boq is going to do much to change the status quo," Elphaba said dryly.

"Gotta start somewhere," Fiyero replied.

"What's wrong with the status quo?" Galinda asked, sounding almost personally insulted.

"Galinda, you already broke the status quo when we became friends," Elphaba said patiently. "There's a reason we weren't friends for the first semester."

Galinda thought about that and had to agree.

"Well, maybe more than one reason," she allowed and Elphaba laughed slightly.

"My point is-"

"I get your point, Elphie," Galinda sighed. "Oz, I can't wait to get out of here."

"Hopefully Morrible factors 'The End' into your word count," Elphaba smirked. "She might make you redo it otherwise."

Galinda looked horrified. "She wouldn't do that, would she?!"

"Oh, no, because I forgot Morrible's nickname is 'Kind and Cuddly Morrible'," Avaric said sarcastically, coming over to join them.

"He has a point," Fiyero said.

Galinda groaned. "Ugh. I can_not _write that stupid essay again if Morrible makes me redo it," she complained.

"It _is _a stupid essay," Elphaba agreed.

"What was the point?" Fiyero asked Elphaba.

"Of the essay? None," Elphaba said confidently. "It was a completely pointless exercise. Morrible's not going to change how she sees any of us."

None of them had any clue what she meant. It was Boq who asked,

"What do you mean?"

"Morrible views us all the same way everyone else does- according to the status quo. She's not going to think Galinda's any less of a 'princess' because Galinda writes that her greatest dream is to give up her family's money and become a nun."

Galinda looked horrified. "_What?! I don't-"_

"It was an example," Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Fiyero frowned at Galinda.

"What?"

"Trying to imagine you in a wimple," he said and Galinda glowered at him.

"That's not funny, Fiyero Tiggular."

"It was a little," Avaric sniggered.

"But you get my point," Elphaba interjected. "And Morrible's not the only one. We all see people how we want to- whatever cliché or stereotype they fit in. We see people the way it's most convenient for us to judge them by. Avaric's been calling you 'Princess' all day."

"If Galinda's a princess, what are the rest of us?" Fiyero asked her in interest.

Elphaba shrugged as though it were fairly obvious. "Nerd, playboy, delinquent and outcast," she said, pointing to Boq, Fiyero, Avaric and herself each in turn.

"Outcast?" Avaric said sceptically. "Not Green person?"

"Not _everyone_ judges me by my skin," Elphaba snapped at him. Although in hindsight, that really wasn't true.

"Although ironically, I think she thinks you're an outcast because people won't go near you… which _is _because of your skin," Boq commented thoughtfully.

Elphaba glared at him.

"Did you even _write _your essay?" Galinda asked Avaric, who snorted.

"You're kidding, right?"

Fiyero turned to Elphaba. "So, basically you're saying we wasted a Saturday writing an essay for no reason that will change nothing?"

"And that I don't think Morrible will even read," Elphaba nodded. "And we _are _on detention," she reminded him.

Fiyero shook his head. "Well, that won't do. Boq- take a note."

Boq looked startled, but grabbed a pen and paper without thinking about it.

Fiyero got to his feet, and began to pace thoughtfully, his hands behind his back.

"Dear Madame Morrible," he began.

He paused and looked down at Boq. "Boq,scribe," he ordered and Boq shared a bewildered stare with Elphaba before doing as ordered.

When the clock hit four o'clock exactly, they didn't wait for Morrible to dismiss them before gathering their things.

"Let's go to _The Wilted Rose _for coffee," Galinda suggested to Elphaba.

"I could do with coffee," Elphaba agreed tiredly.

"Coffee sounds good," Fiyero chimed in, inviting himself along.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but didn't protest.

"Boq?" she asked the Munchkin.

"I'm going to go talk to Nessa, I think."

"Well, ask her about the OzDust tonight and meet us at the café after," Galinda said.

"Really?" Boq replied.

"Yeah," Fiyero shrugged. "We can start shaking up the status quo," he grinned and Galinda giggled.

"We're the Breakfast Clubremember? We weren't kidding about that. And we can fit Nessarose in too," she added to Elphaba with a warm smile.

Elphaba returned the smile faintly.

"Nessarose can be the little sister I never wanted," Fiyero said cheerfully.

"Have you ever said two words to my sister in the month you've been here?!" Elphaba demanded.

Fiyero paused. "I've said 'hello'," he finally offered.

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Boq gave a small chuckle. "Ok… thanks," he smiled tentatively.

"No more referring to my sister as your sister though," Elphaba ordered Fiyero sternly. "Or assigning anyone else family roles."

"But I was just about to name Avaric as the weird uncle," Fiyero protested.

Avaric was already half out of the room. "See ya later, losers," he called out over his shoulder.

"Do you think he'll say anything?" Galinda asked anxiously.

"Nope," Elphaba said confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" Boq asked.

"Because if he does, I will turn him into a cockroach. And besides, we have just as much dirt on him as he does on us."

Galinda shook her head as she put on her coat. "I thought he might have learned something today."

"He can only do so much with only one brain cell," Elphaba replied.

Galinda threw her an exasperated look. "_Elphie_. Cut him a little bit of slack. His parents-"

"I know. That's why I said he has _one_ brain cell," Elphaba smirked and Galinda rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's go. I hope _The Wilted Rose _still has that carrot cake they had last week," she said and led the way out of the library.

They left their essays on the front table in a neat pile, with a note on top.

"_Dear Madame Morrible, _

_We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us ... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. _

_But what we found out is that each one of us is a nerd, and a playboy and an outcast, a princess and a delinquent. Does that answer your question? _

_Sincerely yours, _

_The Breakfast Club."_

**The End**

**AN. *fist pump* **_**Don't you forget about me.**_

**Sorry. I had to.**

**Thanks for reading as usual. You don't know how much I appreciate you taking the time to not only read, but review.**

**If you subscribe to me on YouTube, or follow me on Twitter or my blog, you would've seen the video I posted the other day. If you don't go check it out now (vinkunwildflowerqueen) this video is all about the fics I have coming up!**


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